The Expert Group Meeting was a final activity of a project entitled "Research on Integration of Work on Consumer Price Indices (CPI) and the International Comparison Programme (ICP) and on the Use of Purchasing Power Parities (PPPs) in the Study of Poverty", which was funded by the World Bank Trust Fund for Statistical Capacity Building. The consultants engaged on this project: Mr Messrs Sultan Ahmad and Mr Prasada Rao, visited the participating countries/areas in November 2001 and presented their preliminary findings to the Working Group of Statistical Experts at its twelfth session, held in Bangkok from 27 to 30 November 2001. They went on to prepare research papers which were presented and discussed at the expert group meeting held in Bangkok from 27 February to 1 March 2002. The meeting was attended by representatives of the participating countries/areas and of interested international agencies. The research was, however, intended not just as an end in itself but also as input into the regional and global comparisons to be conducted under the next round of the ICP.